As the accident victim you should check to see if there were newspaper accounts reporting the accident. If there were clip out the relevant articles and save them. The area'?s local newspapers should also be checked for the possibility that they may have published a synopsis of the weather on the day of the accident. Upon clipping out such an item a notation should be made indicating the name of the newspaper, plus the date and page, etc.

Review these write-up'?s closely because a photograph may be available via those articles. If that'? so, go to the newspaper office (or make a telephone call to it) and order an 8x10 glossy print of the photo from that article'?s reporter or photographer. It'?s even possible you may discover that a newspaper (or an on-the-scene TV reporter) has available a photo that had been taken but wasn'?t used - - these are usually available for a nominal charge.

There are two other "by products" for which photographs can additionally be useful to you in your claims settlement undertaking when you and adjuster I. M. Smart face off. One by-product is the possibility that, upon closely studying the photo, you may discover a witness. Or you might be able to pick out from the photos the registration numbers of other vehicles in the impact area but weren'?t involved in the accident. From such a piece of information you may be able to get the police, or the motor vehicle department, to provide you with the names and addresses of the parties to whom the registration number belongs. That, thus accomplished, could present you with the possibility of locating a critical witness to your case.

OBTAINING THE POLICE REPORT - - IF THEIR IS ONE

It'?s always a good idea to call the police when there'?s an accident. It'?s to your advantage to do so and to have a police report on file.Police are required, by law, to be promptly notified whenever an accident occurs, especially when there'?s an injury or the damages to one of the vehicles exceeds some fixed amount, say for example, $250.00 or $300.00.

About a week or so after the police execute the report it will usually be available to the public at the police department. You may secure a copy of the report by requesting one for a nominal charge. If the accident occurs on a state highway, you apply for the report from that states Highway Patrol office. If the accident occurred anywhere else, you should apply for that report from the city, county, or sheriff'?s department that investigated the accident.

Upon obtaining a copy you can scan it for a witness the police may have included. It'?s possible that the police may have taken some useful photographs. They'?ll usually be more than willing to sell you reprints.

You may discover - - especially in severe accident violations involving, for example, drunkenness - - that there'?s in existence some special reports and/or highly detailed diagrams of the accident. You can inquire with the investigating officers who prepared the report (their names are almost always listed somewhere on the reports) as to whether there was a professional photographer they may observed at the scene, thereby providing you with yet another source for potentially helpful photographs or witnesses.

If you accomplish this preliminary work and then, when you sit down for your settlement talk with Adjuster Smart (presenting him with what you'?ve accumulated) he'?s going to understand he'?s dealing with an individual who knows what they'?re doing. This will go a long way towards convincing him not to attempt to con and/or take advantage of you. And that'?s always money in the bank!

DISCLAIMER: The only purpose of this article "NEWSPAPER INFORMATION AND/OR POLICE REPORTS REGARDING YOUR MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT" is to help people understand the motor vehicle accident claim process. Neither Dan Baldyga, Peter Go, nor ARTICLE CITY makes any guarantee of any kind whatsoever; NOR do they purport to engage in rendering any professional or legal service, NOR to substitute for a lawyer, an insurance adjuster, or claims consultant, or the like. Where such professional help is desired it is the INDIVIDUAL'?S RESPONSIBILITY to obtain said services.

All of the information necessary for you to deal with and handle the above issues are spelled out within the contents of Dan Baldyga's third "How To" Insurance Claim book, AUTO ACCIDENT PERSONAL INJURY INSURANCE CLAIM (How To Evaluate And Settle Your Loss) can be found on the internet at http://www.autoaccidentclaims.com. This book also contains BASE (The Baldyga Auto Accident Settlement Evaluation Formula). THE BASE FORMULA will tell you exactly how many dollars the "Pain and Suffering" you endured, because of your accident - - are worth!

Copyright 2005 (c) By Dan Baldyga. All Rights Reserved

About The Author

Dan Baldyga is now retired and spends his time writing articles to assist those who are in motor vehicle accident claims so they won't be taken advantage of: dbpaw@comcast.net.